The comment period ends Jan 2 (the sneaky part--at least 4 days out of the 14 day comment period are wasted due to holidays) but the FWS site indicates they will implement no later than Jan 15, so yes this will affect all of us.

After using the heavy and bulky 12-50 with zoom gear on land, I looked on ebay and found a like-new 12-50 for $200.00. I use that for travel and the lens with gear stays dedicated to underwater. I find it too much of a pain to take the zoom gear on and off on a daily basis when I travel. The 12-50 is so tiny it fits in my pocket easily so it is no extra burden to travel with it.

Yes, I dedicated mine to UW. You can shoot it on land (ie on the boat or at the dock) even with the gear on, but it is big, heavy and cumbersome. Some people say they can take the gear on and off in 10 minutes, but I dive all the time and the constant switching woiuld be a super pain. If you only dive a few times a year it is do-able, but still the parts and small screws are just a recipe for something to get lost, and of course that would happen right before that once-a-year trip.

For land I use the 14-150 anyway much more versatile for travel. I will probably add another used 12-50 later this year for specialty use (digiscoping) if I want one, as I am sure I will be able to find them for around 200 or so.

I have been curious about the wide wet lens also, but no one here seems to have tested it.

Also, you still have to factor the cost of the diopter when comparing equivalency of the lens set-ups. I guess the diff comes to about $150. Its great that you own them because you can use your diopters to get into ultra-macro range with the 12-50, or ultra-ultra macro range with the 60.

Just a story about the 12-50. I was on a dive late last nite. Shooting beautiful flamingo tongues in macro mode. A hawksbill turtle swam into my lights. I made an instant switch to zoom mode without having to take my eyes off the turtle. Would have lost sight of it for sure if I had had to unscrew a diopter and put it away. In about three seconds I was zoomed to 12mm wide and getting great shots of a turtle at night, something I never had in my portfolio. This is a good example of the combo giving me shots that are not otherwise possible. My buddies shooting macro with diopters never had a chance. I have several other stories like this, and have only owned this lens set up for 2 months.

You should get the 12-50 in the dedicated Nauticam macro port/gear for that lens. NOT the macro port 65. The dedicated port/gear allows full functionality of the 12-50 lens' very, very excellent macro function (you can fill the frame with an object the size of an SD card), as well as full zoom functionality. The switching between macro and regular zoom is absolutely instant, no need for dipopters and the awkward carrying them and putting them on and off, You get full access to the zoom range, and use of power zoom for video if that is important to you (it is for me)

You will not need a dedicated macro lens right away with this rig. It is the best all-around combo going, But, when the time comes, the 60 mm macro works perfectly in the 12/50 port and gives even higher magnification. I have images posted in the recent pages of the OM-D thread to show just how well this set-up works.

The macro port 65 will not even give you the ability to zoom the lens unless you by a $100+ zoom gear, but then you still have no macro with the 12-50 unless you buy diopters, adapters, etc and what is the point of that? It is a more awkward compromise that will actually end up costing more.

I offer this because there is a well-intentioned frenzy of cheapness on the boards where people are trying to "beat the system" by getting the cheaper macro port and making do with compromises, instead of paying the $250 more for the dedicated 12-50 port/gear. This makes no sense to me given the overall cost of the system.

You are buying into the top compact system and housing set-up. Why deprive yourself of the absolutely unique capabilities of the 12-50 in its dedicated port?

Hello, I have just been doing some tests with the 12-50 port and gear and though this info would be of interest.

"Regular zoom" mode. The operation of the power zoom is excellent. The zoom knob on the housing controls the zoom as you twist it against the spring-loaded power zoom ring on the lens. For most of the twist, you are in "slow zoom" mode (better for video), but at the very end of the twist, the lens jumps to "fast zoom" mode (better for photos). If you don't twist it all the way, it is easy to assume that you only have access to "slow zoom" but that is not the case. The twist to fast zoom takes only a second. Close focus at the wide end is under one foot. This is a great solution for general scenics. Maybe it is possible to get CFWA with a diopter, but I do not have one to try this with.

"Macro" mode. This is where it gets really amazing. The switch is instantaneous and, no matter where you were in the zoom range, the lens jumps to 43mm and the farthest focus possible in macro mode (one or two feet from the subject). You move closer to get higher magnification. I can fill the frame with a SD memory card. Measuring the card, it is 25x36mm. In 35mm terms this is "true macro" because it is 1:1 magnification. Thus, this lens magnification equals what is still, today, the maximum magnification of 35mm full frame macro lenses.

The working distance from the front of the port at this magnification is 2 inches. So, with a diopter, it might be possible to get even higher magnification although you will be getting very close. Not sure if it would work as I do not have a diopter.

I had ordered the flip adapter for this port, but the high magnification of the lens and the close working distance caused me to cancel that order. It is just not needed.

These tests were on land as I have not gotten out to dive with it yet, but I can't wait!!

For Roger C above, I have shot in optical TTL with 2 YS-D1s using the 12-50 in macro mode at 2" from the subject, and the TTL worked fine. Manual exposure mode at 1/250 shutter speed, but TTL exposure mode for the flash (set camera flash to "fill" and strobes to TTL). Also, the D1s give nice ratio lighting control even in TTL for creative shadows and textures even at that close distance.

I purchased this same set-up from Reef, using the 45 degree finder. First off, I HIGHLY recommend it. The standard Nauty finder is OK and useable, but the external finder is like going to the moview by comparison.

It does cover the LCD screen a little, but, once you use it, you will not be using the screen. I have done two dives and shot 200 images and videos, and not once have I felt the need to look at the LCD screen. Remember that the EVF can show you all the settings so even if you have to go change a setting in a menu there is no need to use the screen. I believe that, because of the more compact dimensions of the EM5 housing (ie the viewfinder is close to the ldc screen) that even the straight finder will also block the screen somewhat.

You might want to consider the 45 degree unless you already have the straight finder. The EM5 housing is very compact, such that using the 45 degree finder is no effort at all as you are not moving a huge bulky housing underneath you. It's hard to describe but very evident in use. I have no issue using the 45 for wide angle shots. For macro, it is far superior to the streaight finder as you can have the camera below you and stay off the bottom.